Squatters Are Not Welcome in Our City

Mike has unequivocally stated to squatters that they are not welcome in Brighton & Hove.

Squatters from around Europe, some of whom have recently broken into the former Co-Op building on London Road, are joining their comrades in the city for a festival of chaos from 17th-19th May at taxpayers’ expense. The Green Party has continued a campaign of support for so-called “squatters’ rights”, to the dismay of law-abiding residents.

Mike has been campaigning for squatting to be criminalised since his election to Parliament in 2010 and has been supported by his colleague the Rt Hon Kenneth Clarke QC MP, Secretary of State for Justice. Squatting is a huge problem in Brighton & Hove, with numerous instances of this organised and frequently menacing behaviour blighting the lives of ordinary people. A change in the law is expected soon which will see squatting in residential properties made a criminal offence. The new legislation has been dubbed “Weatherley’s Law” by both supporters and squatters.

Commenting, Mike said: “It was inevitable that squatters would trash the Co-op building on London Road and follows recent incidents at many other local buildings including Medina House and Park House. My constituents have made clear that squatters are not in any way welcome in our city. I couldn’t agree more.”

He continued: “Unsurprisingly, squatters have been embraced by the Greens which was sadly to be expected. These illegal acts are just a distraction from the real issue of getting empty buildings back into use. For far too long, squatters have been a plague on our city – they should get out and stay out.”

To all those celebrating, we'd like to wish you a happy Chinese New Year. Here's to a great year - yesterday

The Federation of Brighton Pavilion and Hove & Portslade Conservatives represent the Conservative Party in the Brighton Pavilion and Hove & Portslade Constituencies, which stretch from the Pier to the Portslade/Fishersgate boundary and from the sea to the South Downs.